The Master of Biomedical Innovation (MBI) program is a multidisciplinary, project-oriented, professional graduate program focused on bridging the gap between health technology development and its transfer to biomedical markets. Graduates with the MBI degree will have the knowledge and skills needed to seamlessly foster innovative biomedical approaches to current and future health challenges.
The MBI is a one-year program requiring three terms to complete. Delivery of the program will allow for maximum flexibility, and will include in-person events (e.g., intensive bootcamps) with virtual components. The project and course-based curriculum will be anchored by a series of bootcamps that will guide learners through the biomedical innovation and entrepreneurship process. Learners will apply the theories and entrepreneurship competencies acquired to a year-long, venture-oriented project.
Bring your own project, take one off the shelf, or develop a new project.
The MBI provides an immersive experience (clinical, lab, medtech company, etc.) to identify and solve a biomedical problem. Learners will complete a series of milestones that guide the creation and validation of a novel solution and the formation of an early-stage biomedical venture.
program curriculum
Expandable List
The cohort will be brought together in-person during four, week-long Bootcamps to advance their biomedical project forward through networking, immersive experiences, high profile guest speakers, and project discussions. There will also be short talks to introduce students to the course work of the curriculum block that follows. The final Bootcamp will take the form of a pitch competition, where each team will present the progress of their innovation project to investors, incubators/accelerators.
Bootcamp dates*:
- September 11 – 15, 2023
- December 4 – 8, 2023
- April 8 – 12, 2024
- September 9 – 13, 2024
*Bootcamp dates are subject to change
For all learners, the experiential, project-based courses (MBI 701, 702, 703) will give students the opportunity to apply concepts from courses and bootcamps to their innovation project, over the 12-month program. Students will be evaluated on the completion of a set of milestones that focus on establishing the desirability, feasibility and viability of their innovation.
All learners will have access to personalized coaching, mentorship and leadership development throughout the entirety of the project to ensure milestone completion and project progress, and to facilitate project scope modifications where necessary to meet these requirements.
- Milestone 1: Identify and validate the biomedical need
- Milestone 2: Assess the existing and emerging market landscape
- Milestone 3: Develop and test prototype
- Milestone 4: Outline IP and regulatory strategy of proposed solution
- Milestone 5: Determine necessary resources and funding strategy
- Milestone 6: Develop a business model for your proposed solution/company
- Milestone 7: Pitch your final innovation
These 1.5-unit core courses will be delivered with in-person and online learning options, for maximum flexibility.
MBI 704. New Value Creation (1.5 units)
MBI 705. From Market Assessment to Value Proposition (1.5 units)
MBI 706. Intellectual Property (1.5 units)
MBI 707. Prototyping and Technology Readiness Assessment (1.5 units)
MBI 708. Regulatory and Reimbursement (1.5 units)
MBI 709. Business Model Development (1.5 units)
MBI 710. Funding and Project Management (1.5 units)
MBI 711. Business Basics (1.5 units)
Students will take two 1.5-unit electives in the spring/summer term based on project focus including topics such as regulation and reimbursement, Artificial Intelligence in the biomedical sector, complexity science and adaptive systems.
immersion experiences
Where applicable, clinical immersion experiences will be planned during bootcamps, where learners will be spread across various clinical areas within local hospitals. This element will provide value to all learners by providing an understanding of the clinical environment, and a new perspective they can then apply to their team/individual projects. Additional immersion experiences are also available (i.e., biotech company, lab, etc.)
GRADUATE OPPORTUNITIES
Graduates of the MBI program will have the knowledge and skills needed to seamlessly foster innovative biomedical approaches to current and future health challenges from the earliest stage into practical, market-ready ventures. MBI graduates will contribute to the growing biomedical and health technology sector, thereby attracting and retaining entrepreneurial talent that leads to the creation not only of improved health care, but new jobs, economic growth, and community benefits.
By the end of the program, graduates will have gone through the full cycle of creating a business product. With the personalized support of coaches and mentors, graduates will have learned the skills, and acquired the network and expertise in the healthcare space to be a successful innovator and disruptor in the healthcare arena.
Graduates of the MBI program will be able to:
- Become a founder of a health-focused startup company
- Spin out a new health technology from their academic research or clinical area
- Advance the innovation agenda of an existing health-focused company or organization
- Work for an emerging health or medical technology company
- Leverage the entrepreneurial knowledge and skills acquired in the MBI that are required to transition into a leadership position in various industries